Hollywood romance weepie “The Notebook” celebrated its 10th anniversary the other day.
Depending on your worldview, the film is either really, really romantic or really, really depressing — but did you know that star Rachel McAdams nailed her role from the get-go?
McAdams’ first taped audition for the role of headstrong, lovestruck Allie Hamilton has, in the ensuing years, racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. When you watch it, you’ll see why they couldn’t cast anyone else in the part:
Rachel McAdams for ‘The Notebook’
Throw in Ryan Gosling and you’ve got yourself a hit.
Here are some of the other most memorable celebrity audition tapes:
Scarlett Johansson for ‘Jumanji’
While Johansson wasn’t successful with this audition — she lost out to Kirsten Dunst for the 1995 family film — it still provides a rare, small glimpse at her life as a child actor, some six years before her breakout role as a surly teen in the 2001 cult classic “Ghost World.”
Henry Thomas for ‘E.T.’
This kid. Barely 10 years old, actor Henry Thomas’ audition for the role of Elliott Taylor is absolutely heartbreaking. Tears welling in his eyes, the young actor pleads that his extraterrestrial friend not be taken away by the government. In the final seconds of the audition tape, Steven Spielberg can be heard off camera saying the immortal words: “OK kid, you got the job.”
Audrey Tatou for ‘Amelie’
OK, we don’t speak French and there are no subtitles on this clip. But check out Tautou’s adorably wide-eyed performance and try telling us there was anyone else who could’ve played Amelie so perfectly.
Emma Stone for ‘Easy A’
The audition tape as webcam confessional? Nailed it, Stone.
Steve Carell for ‘Anchorman’
Steve Carell’s first go at inept weatherman Brick Tamland is positively deranged: The poor guy goes as red as a tomato during this two-minute skit with Will Ferrell. Absolutely hilarious.
Seth Rogen’s first audition
Seth Rogen’s reputation as Hollywood’s most lovable stoner dates right back to his first audition for “Freaks & Geeks,” when he was still a teenager. One quibble: Rogen keeps a straight face through his very funny monologue. Where’s that bear-like laugh, Seth?
Ellen Page’s ‘Juno’ screen test
Page had a few big movies under her belt at this point — “Hard Candy” and “X-Men” among them — but “Juno” remains her most memorable role, and it’s not hard to see why: She plays the acerbic, fast-talking teen to perfection, even in this early screen test.
Natalie Portman for ‘Leon: The Professional’
Twenty years on, check out the audition that landed a then-13-year-old Portman her first film role, in the 1994 movie “Leon: The Professional.”
Lea Michele for ‘Glee’
As Lea Michele tells it in the clip above, her first “Glee” audition went “terribly.” Girl, please. As you can see, she had them eating out of the palm of her hand — she was Rachel Berry, even stopping to chastise the auditioners for laughing in the wrong places during her performance.
Megan Fox for ‘Transformers’
Umm, Megan Fox is very pretty. She looks very pretty in this audition. And that’s all we’re going to say about that. *sips tea*
Special mention must also go to Rose Byrne’s spectacularly foul-mouthed audition for “Get Him to the Greek,” surely one of the funniest (and filthiest) comedy auditions of recent years.
This article originally appeared on News.com.au.